Stocks surge; Hewlett-Packard leads Dow higher

Encouraging signs from two of the most important zones of the world economy, the powerhouse of China and the debt-burdened countries of Europe, drove the U.S. stock market Thursday to one of its best days this year.

Lower euro-zone yields, China GDP view lift Wall Street

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose more than 1 percent on Thursday as lower Italian bond yields eased some euro-zone concerns and rumors about China's strong GDP growth bolstered investors' appetite for risk. The S&P 500 popped above its 50-day moving average in a sign that traders may see the recent pullback of nearly 5 percent as an opportunity to catch up with the benchmark's performance. The index is up more than 10 percent for the year to date. ...

Sarkozy to contact Peugeot CEO over threatened plant

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy weighed in on PSA Peugeot Citroen's industrial woes on Thursday, calling for a meeting with Chief Executive Philippe Varin and promising talks with unions and management over a threatened car plant. The announcement came after unions organized a protest outside Sarkozy's campaign headquarters, 10 days before the start of presidential elections that Sarkozy is on course to lose to Socialist challenger Francois Hollande, according to opinion polls. ...

Coe predicts China will top medals table in London

Sebastian Coe predicts China will outperform the United States to win the medals race at the London Olympics.